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Block Feeding Questions

A. Should I be pumping the breast I'm not nursing from during block feeding? I am worried about decreasing my supply by block feeding.

B. Is it OK that baby will nurse for up to 50 minutes during one feeding? Essentially, I am feeding her from one breast at each feeding, every two to three hours (depending on when she wants to feed again).

C. How can I tell that my breast is completely empty (other than that it goes from feeling hard to soft)? Baby has never let go on her own to indicate that she is done.

Re: Block Feeding Questions

How old is your baby? Depending on age, it may be perfectly normal to nurse for that long.

Can I ask why you are block feeding? Most moms block feed to help combat oversupply. In fact, the point of block feeding is to reduce your supply by leaving one side full, thereby sending your body the signal to make less milk. If you are not wanting to reduce your supply, you should not block feed.

ETA: Your breast is never completely empty. Your body is always making milk. Even during nursing it will be making milk. You can typically tell when baby is done nursing, though, by watching their sucking pattern. If their tongue goes still and just flutters every once in a while or they break suction, they are probably done.

Last edited by @llli*still.here; January 17th, 2013 at 08:54 AM.

“We are not put on earth for ourselves, but are placed here for each other. If you are there always for others, then in time of need, someone will be there for you.”
--Anonymous

Re: Block Feeding Questions

Sorry for not giving background! I was typing on my phone during a 2 a.m. feeding and my head was not clear

Baby is four weeks and I have been EBF. I do have oversupply - as "diagnosed" by my lactation consultant. Recently baby has been having mucousy green poops, which I read could be a fore milk/hind milk imbalance, which is in turn an oversupply issue. So, I decided to try block feeding to see if she would get more of the hind milk and return to her mustard yellow poop. I am really worried about it decreasing my supply, though. If I start block feeding, is that how I'll feed her until I wean her of BF? Or can I eventually go back to regular feeding once I feel like my supply has evened out?

When would I pump if I am block feeding? I have been pumping after my morning feeding to have a supply of milk for instances when we are out and about and I want to have a bottle with me just in case or for when I leave her with my mother in law if I have to go out and do something that will keep me away during one of her feedings (typically doctor's appointments). Also, eventually I'll need to pump regularly to start building a supply for when I go back to work. I read that supply for pumping is what is really affected by block feeding.

Re: Block Feeding Questions

I start block feeding, is that how I'll feed her until I wean her of BF? Or can I eventually go back to regular feeding once I feel like my supply has evened out?

Once your LO is older and your supply is more closely matched to her needs, you'll likely need to transition back to offering both breasts at a feeding.

How many more weeks until you need to go back to work? Depending on whether you go back to work at 6 weeks or 3 months or 6 months, you may need to start pumping now- or not. If you decide you need to pump now, choose a single time of day- typically after your first a.m. feeding, and pump out about as much milk as you'll need for the bottle you plan to give in order to teach baby how to take a bottle. That's going to be about 2-3 oz, max. If you can get that with no problem, let us know and we'll talk about the next steps you need to take in order to build a stash.

Re: Block Feeding Questions

Originally Posted by @llli*mommal

How many more weeks until you need to go back to work? Depending on whether you go back to work at 6 weeks or 3 months or 6 months, you may need to start pumping now- or not. If you decide you need to pump now, choose a single time of day- typically after your first a.m. feeding, and pump out about as much milk as you'll need for the bottle you plan to give in order to teach baby how to take a bottle. That's going to be about 2-3 oz, max. If you can get that with no problem, let us know and we'll talk about the next steps you need to take in order to build a stash.

I go back to work on March 20. I had thought that I would start pumping to build a supply about a month out. So, if I pump, do I pump from both breasts even though I'm block feeding, or just from the breast that I fed her from? I don't think I can get 2-3 oz from one breast. I've pumped several times to have a bottle for her for times we've been out when she would nurse, and I get about 1-1.5 oz from both breasts after I've fed her from both. Would I pump from the breast I fed her from for one feeding and then pump from the other after the next feeding?

Re: Block Feeding Questions

Originally Posted by @llli*eddiemart

It's hard to decipher what exactly is going on when there is so much conflicting information on the Internet!

I know, right?!!!

One thing I wonder about- and bear in mind that I can't see you and the LC did- is that babies can sometimes have difficulty with letdowns even if mom's supply is average. It's more about the baby being young, small, and relatively weak than about mom having a rapid letdown per se.

Re: Block Feeding Questions

Well, she went from slow weight gain, then all of a sudden when she gained almost two ounces a day and now it seems normal, as she gained just about an ounce a day in this past week. I'm actually starting to think that it isn't an oversupply issue, but rather just OLD. I met with her pediatrician yesterday and I am going to stay away from dairy and soy for two weeks to see if her poopies go back to normal. He said that an imbalance can cause the poop to turn different colors but the mucousy consistency and the traces of blood are an indication of an irritation likely caused by dairy in my diet. Fingers crossed that it works!